A Boost in Confidence
by wolfgirlnowandforever
Summary: Gameverse. While on vacation in Hoenn, Burgh meets a Bug Catcher who needs a little pep talk. So of course he gives him one.


**A/N:** Wrote this for the Pokanon Genfic Meme! Bug Catcher James captured my heart back in Emerald and when I saw the prompt, I just had to fill it!

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Burgh let his eyes sweep through the beautiful scenery before him, smiling at all he saw. He was happy that he got spend his two week vacation in beautiful Hoenn. Petalburg Forest was vastly different from Pinwheel Forest back home, but his sharp eyes could catch the subtle similarities. While the foliage was brighter here, the light caught the shadows underneath the leaves the same as they did back home. The Pokémon that occasionally neared him were different species of course, but they had similar qualities. Cautious but curious.

He was glad that he remembered to bring his sketch pad with him, because his fingers itched to capture this sight, in whatever medium, right now. He walked over to a particularly large tree and sat down in the shade before he reached into his bag and pulled out the materials needed to draw. He took another minute to capture everything in his mind's eye before getting to work. His hand was steady as he decided to start with the large clump of grass at his right. Large strokes first, putting the shapes down before getting into detail. It wasn't long before he fell into the familiar trance whenever he drew something, even when it was only simple doodles.

He was abruptly pulled from his trance when the sound of angry footsteps caught his attention. He looked up to see a young boy storming past him. All that Burgh could see of him was his wide-brimmed straw hat and then he was gone. He could still hear him though, stomping noisily through the forest.

He didn't even think as he quickly picked up his materials and hurried up to catch him. The boy seemed upset, and as a gym leader, it was his responsibility to help any trainers that came his way, no matter what region he was in. At least, that's how he saw it.

It was easy to track him, but another thing to actually catch up to him. Burgh was weighed down by his supplies, while the boy seemed to only have a net to hinder him. After a minute of trying to reach him, Burgh decided to just get his attention by calling out to him.

"Excuse me! Excuse me, I'd like to speak to you!" Burgh called. It took a few more tries, but eventually the boy heard him and turned around.

It was then that Burgh realized that the boy had been crying.

He caught up to him easily now. He took a moment to catch his breath (okay, so maybe he was a little out of shape, he didn't go down a cat walk constantly unlike _some_ people) and when he did, he tilted his head and held out his hand. "Hello, is something wrong? My name is Burgh."

The boy looked at his outstretched hand warily, as if it would grow teeth and sink into his hand, but eventually he took it and shook. "The name's James. I'm a bug catcher." He said, and even his voice sounded like it had been full of tears.

A bug catcher? Was that one of the trainer classes here in Hoenn? Burgh let go of his hand and knelt down in front of the boy, James as he now knew him to be called, and said in his most gentle voice, "You look like you could use a friend to listen to your troubles, Bug Catcher James."

The boy turned his head down, looking like he was trying to fight off tears again. "M-Maybe. But I don't have a lot of friends. And it's not like I can tell you anything either, I don't even know who you are."

Burgh smiled. "Well I think we could be friends, considering your title. I like Bug Pokémon too."

"You do?" James asked, his eyes widening.

Burgh nodded. "Of course I do. I wouldn't be hanging out in Petalburg Forest if I didn't, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." James said, considering their surroundings. "Alright then, if you're really offering an ear, I guess I can talk to you."

"Alright, let's talk!" Burgh said, standing up to his full height. "But not right here. I found this really great spot a few yards back that is really pretty."

"Is it that place with the big clumps of grass?" James asked, his mood considerably lifted from earlier. Burgh felt joy flood in his chest at cheering up a fellow bug enthusiast.

"Yes, how did you know?" He asked, leading the way back to the spot.

James moved his hand to his short's pocket and pulled out a couple of Pokéballs. "That's the place where I first found my partners. I go there every day after school, to train them."

"Really?" Burgh asked, his interest in the Pokémon James had rising. "Can I see your partners?"

James's expression dropped a little and he shook his head. "I can't, they're fainted from the last battle we had."

"Oh." Burgh murmured, realizing that James had probably been trying to go to the Pokémon Center. Luckily… "I always pack a few extra revives with me, so we can take care of your partners as soon as we reach the spot, okay?"

"Really?" James asked, his expression completely shocked. "You would give up your revives for my Pokémon?"

Burgh nodded, wondering why James would even question it. "Of course I would, it's a gym leader's duty to help any and all trainers who are in need."

"Gym leader?! You're a gym leader, Burgh?" Came the boy's surprised response.

It was then that Burgh realized that he hadn't told the younger trainer his profession earlier. He chuckled. Okay, Elesa was right about him being forgetful. Best friend one, him zero.

"Yes, I'm a gym leader." He said, just as they reached the place he had been before. He placed his bag down on the ground by the large tree and rummaged through it. "I think should have mentioned that earlier."

James nodded, but his awe overpowered everything else he was feeling for the moment. "Wow, you're really a gym leader? And you use Bug Pokémon?"

"Sure do. I'm Castelia City's Gym Leader. Have you ever been there? It's a lovely city." He said, moving a pile of his pencils aside and finally finding the revives. "Ah, here they are! Bring out your Pokémon now, James."

James did as he was told, calling out two very weakened Nincada. Burgh quickly administered the medicine and in no time the Pokémon were alert and looked much healthier. They waved their feelers up at him happily before turning back to their trainer.

"Guys, you're alright!" James cried, kneeling down to his Pokémon's level and petting them. The Nincada waved their feelers at him, looking like they wanted to comfort him. Burgh found out why with James's next sentence. "It's all my fault, guys. We lost that last battle because of me and my bad strategies."

"What makes you say that?" Burgh asked. He sat down next to the younger trainer and leaned into the bark of the tree.

"It's the truth." James said, pulling the brim of his hat over his eyes. "I'm not a good trainer. I keep losing battle after battle. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a trainer…"

Burgh frowned at his words. He remembered when he'd gone through this exact same phase, back in his early days as a young trainer. Back then, he didn't have anybody looking out for him, aside from his best friend Elesa. If it hadn't been for her encouraging him too keep trying with his favorites, he might have given up being a trainer altogether.

"Hey, don't talk like that." Burgh started, reaching over and petting one of the Nincada. It seemed happy to be shown affection. "I may not know you that well, but I can tell that your Pokémon care about you a lot. They wouldn't look this happy if you were a bad trainer."

James glanced over at his Pokémon, but he didn't look all that convinced. "But I keep letting them faint. I'm failing them."

"Does that look like the face of a Pokémon that thinks you've failed it?" Burgh asked, nodding his head to the one closer to James. To most people, the expression on the Nincada's face would be indecipherable, but a true Bug Pokémon fan could tell how they were very happy to just be near their trainer. "Your Pokémon – your partners— trust you James. They know that you're trying your best, and because of that they're trying their hardest too."

James looked slightly more convinced now. He looked into his Pokémon's eyes, as if trying to see the trust there. "Yeah? You really think so, Burgh?"

"I know so." Burgh nodded. "You know, you remind me a lot of myself when I was just staring out."

"I do?" He asked, turning from his Pokémon to gauge the truth in Burgh's words.

Burgh smiled at his suspicious expression. "You sure do. In fact, I think you might have it in you to someday be a gym leader yourself. After all, I won maybe one in every twenty battles I had when I was your age."

James looked even more suspicious. "No way. You're a gym leader, there's no way you could have lost that often."

He waggled a finger in front of the bug catcher's face. "Now, now, don't sound so skeptical. Plenty of strong people lose when they're first starting out. A few losses every once in a while don't mean anything in the long run."

James was quiet for a moment before breaking out in a wide smile. "If you're really telling the truth, then that means I've won more often than you! I only lose about half the time."

"What?!" Burgh exclaimed, playing up his shock. "Well that must mean you're destined to surpass me and become a member of the Elite Four!"

"Do you really think so, Burgh?" James asked, jumping to his feet. It seemed that Burgh's enthusiasm had finally broken that last bit of insecurity.

He rose to his feet too, a proud smile on his lips. "Of course! Do you know Aaron from Sinnoh? He's a Bug Elite there. If he could do it, so can you."

James smiled up at him. "Alright, you've convinced me to keep trying! I'm going to work harder than ever with my Nincada and be the best Bug type trainer out there!" He reached out and shook Burgh's hand. "Thank you so much for healing my partners. And for making me feel better."

"Anything for a fellow bug enthusiast." Burgh said, and waved as the young trainer took off on his renewed journey.

This was turning out to be his best vacation ever.


End file.
